Traditions ....

Halloween is fast approaching and as I drive through the streets, I notice that fewer and fewer homes go all out to decorate with ghosts and goblins along with creepy crawlers and lit pumpkins!  Bill and I had noticed this trend and were saddened that a new generation of children were not going to witness the fun of this evening.  More and more parents taking their children to organized commercial parties and then take themselves out to join in larger adult parties.  The amount of children making it out for trick or treat is dwindling and it is a little discouraging to put into it two full days of decorating for the handful of children that actually make it to the door.  Regardless, Bill always insisted on decorating and we would solicit the help of our boys on a Sunday and I would take the afternoon off to get the front entrance and myself decked out.  We went from our little theme of homemade ghosts and paper witches to a full-scale graveyard filled with ghoulish skeletons, monsters, witches and capped it all with fog rolling down the yard.  Bill would rush home from work to set up the last-minute blinking lights and blasting music.  He was a kid again!  He loved opening the door slowly and peeking down to the kids, cracking a joke or two.  From ages 1 to 16 - no difference, he enjoyed it all!

I remember not too long ago, a van pulled up in front of the house and a load of kids came running up the yard.  They were looking this way and that way giggling nervously.  The doorbell rang, the kids chimed their "trick or treat" in harmony and Bill handed over the loot.  A gentleman holding what looked like a two year old said, "I just had to bring the kids over.  I always enjoyed coming here as a kid and I wanted my kids to see it."  Wow ... what a treat for us!  Yikes ... a reminder of getting older!

For the first time in 25 years, our home  lay unadorned and in the dark.  I crapped out and went to my sister's for supper to avoid the sound of the doorbell, of the giggles, reminders that my friend was no longer there to enjoy this celebration.  This year will not be any different but for other reasons.  While cleaning out the house after Bill's death, all Halloween decorations were given or dumped.  All I kept are the key pieces to decorate the inside of my home.  They are in storage waiting for the day our grandchildren come over to share in this very fun tradition.  In doing so, they will get to know their grandfather too.